The Byzantine monastery of Kaisariani near Athens
Located on the wooded slopes of Mount Hymettos near Athens, the Kaisariani Monastery stands as a testament to Byzantine architecture and religious history. This serene and secluded site likely has an ancient religious tradition, with evidence suggesting it was once a sanctuary of Aphrodite. In the 5th or 6th century, it was converted into a Christian site. Remnants of an early Christian basilica are still visible to the west of the monastery.
The Kaisariani Monastery: A Middle Byzantine landmark on Mount Hymettos
Kaisariani was not the first convent established on Mount Hymettos; the Moni Asteriou had existed in the area since the 10th century. Kaisariani was likely founded in the late 11th or early 12th century, around 1100, when the church at the heart of the monastery was constructed. Nestled in a ravine on the mountain slope, the monastery’s secluded location made it invisible from afar while providing a commanding view of the surrounding area, extending to the sea.
However, the first documented mention of the monastery occurs much later, during the Frankish period. In 1208, Pope Innocent III referred to it as “Santa Syriani” in his correspondence. By 1210, following the Fourth Crusade, the monastery had remained under Greek control, as evidenced by a letter from Michael Choniates addressing the monastery’s Orthodox abbot and referring to it as “Kaisariani.”
During the 12th and 13th centuries, the monastery flourished, with the monks engaging in apiculture, making honey one of their main sources of income. The monastery also held extensive estates and dependencies around Mount Hymettos and beyond in Attica. Furthermore, the abbots placed themselves directly under the pope, granting the monastery certain privileges, including tax immunity.
Later history and transformations.
When the Turks occupied Attica in 1458, the abbot of Kaisariani was said to have handed over the keys to Athens to Sultan Mehmed II, according to a legend recounted by the traveler Spon in 1675. As a result, the monastery was exempted from taxation, and its obligations were reduced to a small annual payment. This exemption was later confirmed by the Greek Patriarchate, although it was rescinded in 1716. In the 19th century, the monastery came close to ruin.
Over time, the original structures of the monastery underwent significant alterations. The church was expanded, and the bathhouse was converted into an oil press. Additional buildings, including a refectory, a kitchen, monks’ cells, and an enclosing wall, were added, giving the monastery the form it retains today. The complex has also undergone numerous conservation treatments, though not all are fully documented. Notably, two significant reconstruction projects took place in the early and mid-20th century.
Surviving Byzantine buildings in the Kaisariani monastery.
The katholikon.
The main Byzantine monument of the complex is the katholikon (main church). The church is a classic example of a Byzantine cross-in-square design with a four-column dome. The structure, dating probably to the late 11th or early 12th century, follows the typical middle Byzantine style, marked by clear geometric volumes and high-quality construction. The church’s dimensions are 9.47 m by 8.12 m externally , with a 6.65 m by 5.88 m internal layout (about 31.1 ft by 26.6 ft and 21.8 ft by 19.3 ft).
In the 17th century, the church was expanded with the addition of a domed narthex to the west, and later of a barrel-vaulted chapel dedicated to Saint Antonios to the southwest.
The construction of the bell tower in the 18th or 19th century was the last significant addition to the building.
Unfortunately, none of the original frescoes that once adorned the church have survived. The oldest remaining mural is located on the exterior of the south wall, within the side chapel of Saint Anthony. This fresco, now partially preserved, was originally part of a Deesis, a traditional Byzantine composition depicting Christ enthroned, flanked by the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. Today, only the image of the Virgin in prayer remains. Its provincial style points to a creation time during the 14th century.
Other frescoes in the church are post-Byzantine, likely executed during the Turkish occupation in the beginning of the 18th century, with the narthex receiving decoration in 1682.
The Bathhouse.
To the south of the katholikon lies a trefoil-shaped building, which was originally a bathhouse dating to the 11th century. This structure, built around a natural spring, is characterized by a hemispherical cupola supported by four pendentives. The bathhouse is a rare example of a Byzantine monastic bath and is similar to others found in Dafni and the ruined one at the Monastery of Zoodohos Pigi at Dervenosalesi. During the Ottoman period, the bathhouse was repurposed as an oil press, but traces of its original function as a bath remain, including the discovery of hypocaust pillars and water conduits.
Alongside the katholikon, the bathhouse is one of the only original Byzantine structures of the monastery, reflecting the monastic rule that emphasized the frequent practice of ablutions. Its construction follows the tradition of Roman baths. At Zoodohos Pigi, the bathhouse featured benches in the main chamber. At Kaisariani, marble benches in the courtyard may have been part of the original complex.
Ruins of a small domed church.
On the site of the early Christian basilica to the west of the monastery, the ruins of a smaller domed church are visible. Based on its features, it was likely constructed in the 10th or 11th century.
The Kaisariani Monastery is one of the best-preserved Byzantine monastic complexes in Attica. However, it has never undergone a comprehensive architectural and historical study, and further research may uncover more about its features, history, and secrets.
Sources.
A.Moropoulou, M.Apostolopoulou, P.Moundoulas†, E.Aggelakopoulou, L.Siouta, A.Bakolas, Maria Douvika, Panagiotis Karakitsios, Panagiotis G. Asteris, The role of restoration mortars in the earthquake protection of the Kaisariani Monastery, ECCOMAS Congress 2016 VII European Congress on Computational Methods in Applied Sciences and Engineering.
Elisabet Tsilimadou, A Multidisciplinary Approach for Historic Buildings Diagnosis: The Case Study of the Kaisariani Monastery, 2019.
Theano Chatzidakis, The Monastery of Kaisariani, Apollo ed. Athens 1977.
